If I dream before I wake
by Sillie
Summary: He still had nightmares sometimes... -Yamachi (rated PG13 just to be sure)


A/N: Yup... it's been a while since I wrote about these guys. It's not that I don't love them anymore, but I got a bit absorbed by a new shiny fandom... :P Ahum, anyway... beware, some angst and a lot of fluffy sappines. :'3

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**If I dream before I wake…**

He still woke up with nightmares sometimes. It didn't happen much. Hell, the last time he had one was two years ago. He wasn't sure what had triggered it this time. Could be the news about the death of that little girl…probably.

The dream was always the same. He was in the park, everything around him looking big. He had his ball, and the sun was shining. What more did he need? But there was this nagging feeling at the back of his mind, that he was forgetting something…

He kicked against the ball and it was heavy. It didn't roll far, so he kicked it again.

Then he heard a girl call his name. He looked around, and suddenly he remembered. Kari! He was supposed to keep and eye on her! He franticly looked around, until he spotted her, lying face down on the ground.

He ran to her, but he couldn't reach her. Men walked up to her and he shouted at them to leave her alone, but they didn't react. They looked at her and shook their heads, looking sad. One of them covered her with a sheet.

Then suddenly he stood in a white room, with his parents in front of him. He had to look up to see their faces, and they where crying, his mother yelling at him.

That it was his fault, he was supposed to look after her, how could he have left her alone? She slapped him in the face, and he felt his cheek grow warm. He didn't understand. What was his fault?

Then his mother screamed at him, grabbed his arm and dragged him towards a bed. Kari was laying on it, not moving and looking so, so pale… And that's when his mother would say the words…

_"You killed her, Taichi…"_

That was when he woke up. Always at that point. It was such a real dream, he needed to check on Kari to see if she was still okay. That it really had been a dream.

And when he still lived at home it wasn't a problem. He would sneak out of his bed, shivering and on the verge of tears, carefully entering Kari's room. Kari knew of the dreams. She was a light sleeper, and she woke most of the times to find him next to her bed, watching her breathe.

It wasn't different this time. He shot up, breathing harshly and on the verge of tears. He wanted to go check on Kari, and he was halfway out of bed when he remembered; Kari was almost at the other side of town at their parents home, and he was here.

He was tempted to get dressed, step in the car and drive to his parents. He knew it was ridicules. Also, he was in no state to drive.

He shivered and felt the first tear slip down his cheek. Choking back a sob, he wrapped his arms around himself and willed the voice of his mother out of his head. Kari was all right, she was sleeping soundly in her bed, and would only find him silly for thinking otherwise. But the dream had been so real…

Suddenly, a hand touched his thigh, and he was jerked out of his thoughts.

"Tai-chan…"

Matt's voice sounded a bit sleep slurred, and when Tai turned his head to look at him, he could see he was barely awake.

That was, until Matt spotted the tears rolling down Tai's cheeks. He was fully awake in seconds and sat up, pulling Tai into his arms.

"God, what's wrong?"

Tai gripped Matt's nightshirt tightly, and buried his face against Matt's neck. Matt rubbed his back and made soothing noises as Tai sobbed against him.

It took him several minutes to calm down somewhat, and all the while Matt held him tightly, confused and concerned. When his breathing had returned to normal Tai leaned back, looking into Matt's troubled blue eyes.

Matt placed his hands on Tai's face and used his thumbs to stroke his tears away.

"What's the matter Taichi?" He asked softly, "Was it a nightmare? Are you hurting somewhere? Did…"

Tai cut Matt off by placing a kiss on his lips. "Nightmare." He said hoarsely, then coughed to clear his throat. Matt frowned, then his eyes cleared in realisation.

"It's the one with Hikari, isn't it?"

Tai nodded and Matt drew him into another hug. Tai had told him about the dream, after Matt had found him sobbing in Kari's arms one night, during a sleep-over.

"I'm sure Hikari's just fine. You know what? We'll call your parents in the morning, ask them if it's okay if we come to visit. It's been a while anyway…"

Tai smiled and hugged him tight. "You know I love you, right?" he whispered into Matt's ear.

They sat like that for a while, basking in each others arms, when Tai let out a yawn he couldn't hold back. Matt chuckled and ran an affectionate hand through Tai's hair.

"Let's go back to sleep."

Tai nodded, and crawled back under the blankets, snuggling against Matt as tight as he could. Matt slung a possessive arm around Tai's waist and soon they where both asleep, their soft breathing the only sound filling the room.

Owari


End file.
